Dictionary of the Khazars

Milorad Pavić’s Dictionary of the Khazars, published in Arabic by Wasm Publications (translated by Mohammed Ayat Hanna), is a defining masterpiece of postmodern and interactive literature. Defying traditional linear storytelling, the novel manifests as a captivating literary maze cleverly disguised in the form of an encyclopedic dictionary. The work brings together three distinct novels within a single book, featuring three conflicting narrative voices that recount the exact same story from opposing viewpoints. Divided into Christian (Red), Islamic (Green), and Jewish (Yellow) source sections, each narrative offers its own interpretation of events, symbols, and truth. By liberating the reader from a rigid, chronological path and inviting them to cross-reference entries at will, Pavić crafts a rich narrative journey that continuously spans the boundaries between history and myth, dream and memory, and the tension between firm faith and existential doubt.

It offers an inventive, interactive literary experience that dismantles standard narrative form, challenging readers to actively construct meaning as they navigate conflicting voices across history and myth.

Ideal for readers of experimental fiction, non-linear novels, magical realism, literary puzzles, and anyone who enjoys thought-provoking works that blur the lines between myth, history, and narrative truth.